Product description

"Family Album" is the sixteenth novel from Booker Prize winner Penelope Lively. Allersmead is a big shabby Victorian suburban house. The perfect place to grow up for elegant Sandra, difficult Gina, destructive Paul, considerate Katie, clever Roger and flighty Clare. But was it? As adults, the children return to Allersmead one by one. To their home-making mother and aloof writer father, and a house that for years has played silent witness to a family's secrets. And one devastating secret of which no one speaks..."One of those ridiculously simple, ridiculously readable novels whose artistry only becomes apparent when you put it down with a sign of regret, having devoured it in one sitting...Lively still displays an economy and an elegance that put younger writers to shame". ("Sunday Telegraph"). "A pleasure to read, hugely enjoyable, consistently absorbing, hilarious". ("Independent"). Penelope Lively is the author of many prize-winning novels and short-story collections for both adults and children. She has twice been shortlisted for the Booker Prize: once in 1977 for her first novel, "The Road to Lichfield", and again in 1984 for "According to Mark".
She later won the 1987 Booker Prize for her highly acclaimed novel "Moon Tiger". Her other books include "Going Back"; "Judgement Day"; "Next to Nature, Art"; "Perfect Happiness"; "Passing On"; "City of the Mind"; "Cleopatra's Sister"; "Heat Wave"; "Beyond the Blue Mountains", a collection of short stories; "Oleander, Jacaranda", a memoir of her childhood days in Egypt; "Spiderweb"; her autobiographical work, "A House Unlocked"; "The Photograph"; "Making It Up"; "Consequences"; "Family Album", which was shortlisted for the 2009 Costa Novel Award, and "How It All Began". She is a popular writer for children and has won both the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Award. She was appointed CBE in the 2001 New Year's Honours List, and DBE in 2012. Penelope Lively lives in London.

Author information

Penelope Lively has written many prize-winning novels for adults and children. They include: The Road To Lichfield, According To Mark, Moon Tiger (which won the 1987 Booker Prize), Heat Wave, Spiderweb, The Photograph, Making It Up and Consequences. Penelope Lively lives in London.

Review quote

Lively immediately plunges us into an entirely convincing world of bustling family life...exceptionally well observed and gloriously enjoyable...this should be rated as one of her most impressive works Guardian One of those ridiculously simple, ridiculously readable novels whose artistry only becomes apparent when you put it down with a sign of regret, having devoured it in one sitting...Lively still displays an economy and an elegance that put younger writers to shame Sunday Telegraph Lively's brilliance is of the creeping kind. There is a sense of formality, which falls away as the novel gains pace and builds towards an unforeseen end. She is particularly good at bending language to make it fit her cool and clear voice...Lively succeeds brilliantly in getting a hold on the climate of family life. Slowly we absorb the details that get lost in the bluster and flurry until we are so drawn in, so tightly contained in the dynamics of this one, that the end, when it comes, is simply devastating The Times A pleasure to read, hugely enjoyable, consistently absorbing, hilarious Independent An involving emotional drama and an insightful examination of changing family values Easy Living The complexities and silences of family life are intelligently and subtly explored...a very engaging novel, continuously interesting and often moving Scotsman Gorgeous -- David Vann Guardian Books of the Year Sympathetic and observant, Lively moves fluidly between present-tense set-piece scenes and silent monologues, placing the novel's revelations where they will be most effective, and allowing implications - about marriage, feminism and personal ambition - to blossom slowly Sunday Times Penelope Lively at her best, sharp-eyed but sympathetic, deftly steering the reader from one point of view to another. This novel should delight her regular readers and ensnare new ones Evening Standard A very readable, well-paced novel peopled with Lively's customary immaculately observed and impeccably rounded characters Independent on Sunday Lively skilfully mingles past and present, as she peels away the layers to uncover a family secret of which no one speaks...Lively's astute skewering of family relations reverberates in the mind long afterwards Daily Mail Lively plays her sleight of hand with admirable dexterity. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the writing crisp and the humour wonderfully dry Tatler Gripping. An intelligent look at family relationships and the knock-on effects of past events on the present. It's an absorbing tale of mystery and intrigue that will leave you wondering what lies behind even the nicest facade Woman & Home A deeply satisfying, eloquent family-fabric novel Good Housekeeping